What hurts the most...

So, I have to make this brief. Or try to, anyway... The internet in my room officially conked out so I'm reduced to the lobby computer with 12-year olds looking over my shoulder. "Are you almost done?"

Anyway, we went to Busch Gardens today and it WAS like a mini-Disney World. Like Epcot :-) We had fun and rode a ton of rides. I couldn't have ordered better weather - it was bright but overcast most of the day which took the edge off the heat. Huzzah. I'm also becoming an expert at the public transportation system...I'm feeling strangely independent, which is weird for me.

I think Carmen is having a good time. It is hard to tell most of the time but today I actually got a smile :-) She wears out easily so our days are never very long. She has offically stolen my iPod. I'll have to tell her parents to get her one - she just loves it! I don't mind sharing, particularly if it gives her that much joy. I think we're connecting :-)

In sad news, it has been incredibly difficult being alone and having very little adult conversation during the day. I never realized how vocal I was until you take the people element away (Carmen doesn't like to talk much...I think it overwhelms her) but I AM! I don't think I have ever been more homesick in my life - normally I have at least some familiar things with me but here I feel completely alone. I cried when I talked to my mom on the phone - it felt so good to hear a friendly, loving voice. I miss people so much it actually hurts. Real pain. This is harder than I thought it would be.

The good news is that God is really stretching me. He and I have been having a lot of great conversations. "Hey, God, it's me. I need somebody to talk to. I need You!" He is amazing - maybe this trip was good for, if nothing else, getting me away to the point where I CAN'T talk to anyone else but Him. This week He has truly been EVERYTHING I need. That's pretty amazing. So, I'm learning a lot about myself this week and God has been showing me some pretty great stuff.

That's what I'll leave you with. Pray for me. Pray I make it through this week. Most importantly, pray I come out stronger.

Missing you
Missing you
Missing you
<3 Loves you all :-)